Teaching the World(s): Reframing the World Religions Course in American Universities

Abstract

This article traces the combined development of the world religions paradigm and the concept of the “world” to assess their impact on pedagogical approaches to world religions courses in the United States. By examining the way that the world religions paradigm is maintained through teaching materials such as textbooks and syllabi, this article demonstrates that many world religions courses uphold and reinforce imperialist and colonialist constructions of religion. The article sketches out the implications that decolonial approaches to the study of religion could have on world religions courses, while recognizing that decolonization is composed of a constellation of strategies that extend beyond the classroom to the structure of the university itself.